Thursday, September 11, 2008



Above - A Pectoral Sandpiper from 2006...forgot to take my camera today.

A fine day, mild and generally pleasant.

Quicksilver says on his blog that Hanna was knocking at his window, well, at Cressswell Pond, hurricane Hanna left us a present, or two to be precise.

To go with the Buff breasted Sandpiper delivery from yesterday, today's offering was a pair of juvenile Pectoral Sandpipers, poddling about on the same weedy edge as the Buffy! On my post yesterday I mentioned that my last Buff breast was accomanied by two Pecs and today had a certain de'ja vue as I watched them together.

Both Pecs could be told apart as one was a much more rufous bird than the other and both were a size bigger than the Buff breasted Sandpiper. After checking some literature last night I think this bird is a juvenile female. According to Witherby et al male Buff breasts are bigger than females.

The pond held a great supporting cast of waders too, all feeding around the causeway area were -

Buff breasted Sandpiper 1
Pectoral Sandpiper 2
Curlew Sandpiper 10
Little Stint 2
Dunlin 30+
Common Sandpiper 2
Ruff 8+
Knot 1

plus loads of Lapwing, Golden Plover and Redshank.

A Sparrowhawk caused some consternation for a while, one of 6 seen today on my travels, and 3 Wheatears were flitting around.

Up at Boulmer tonight, 4 Whinchats, 2 Bar tailed Godwits and 2 Grey Plover were on Seaton Point and the mere held 4 Ruff and the Black tailed Godwit.

4 comments:

Northumbrian Birding said...

"Witherby et al" Not heard that phrase for some time The Bible of it's day, Cresswell just gets better and better.
Brian

Tricia Ryder said...

Good list there Boulmer.

Blyth Birder said...

Wind direction interesting for the weekend BB - Northerly, Eastery, Westerly & Southerly depending on what website you look at.

Think I'll stick to the tried & tested 'stick my head out the window and find out for myself' approach to weather forecasting.

Stewart said...

Brian - Yes I know its usually BWP these days. I still like the old books...

Tricia - Thanks.

BB - Use the Met Office site and check the 'surface pressure charts' its the definitive forecast.